Help!!! What do I do

sarahnmacey · Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 10:12 pm Post subject: Help!!! What do I do

I have a 6 year old weimaraner who on the weekend decided to go on a rampage with her buddy and kill some sheep. The ranger has ordered that they be rehomed or put down. I have lived near sheep for years and have never had a problem with them but on this occasion they decided to play. The worst thing is I dont think it was the Weim that did the killing I think it was my kelpie that did the damage however I still have to get rid of the both of them

Obviously rehomeing them would be the thing to do. She is an absolute sweet heart
She also suffers from and auto immune disease where her nose is red and sore for most parts of the year. Not the most attractive thing.

Do I try to rehome ????? Help Sad

taraharvey · Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 10:52 pm Post subject: Ranger...

Does the ranger have that kind of power? I would think that a judge would have to make that kind of a call. Maybe you should check into that before you make any decisions. I would see if there is a training course or obedience class that you could put them into kind of like rehab for the lack of a better word. Even people charged with reckless driving have a chance to go to defensive driving school to get their license back.

If you do have to re home you can always go thru a rescue that would take the time to find a suitable home where the dogs wouldn't be exposed to live stock. Good luck.

ange165 · Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:01 pm Post subject:

Hi From Orange, NSW.
Sorry to hear about your situation Sad

There are plenty of Weim owners in Perth who are on this board and could offer you some advice on rehoming etc.
I would at least try with the rehoming before your other option... At least if you tried to find her another home you wouldn't be left wondering!
Has she had much social training?
Keep us updated.. I hope things work out!!

sarahnmacey · Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:20 pm Post subject: ranger

I have had a look at the Dog Act. I think if we dont agree with the owner of the sheep to have the dogs removed then we would cop a $10000 fine per dog...AGGHGHH
Im not sure if I just surrender her to a shelter so she can try to be rehomed as I dont think I have much time. I think the ranger will be back today to advise me what I have to do.

As far as socialising goes she went to puppy school but since then she hasnt had much contact with other dogs except ours

SparkyTansy · Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:21 pm Post subject:

Hi there (from Perth)
I am sorry to hear about your situation:(
I would try a few things regarding rehoming... either contact the breeder (if they are still around and breeding) to ask if they have any EXPERIENCED weim owners looking to adopt an older dog, or contact a breed rescue group... The SA breed club does a rescue service and may be able to help...
I hope it all works out for you.

BluesandBoots · Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:22 pm Post subject:

Hi, just read your message from a link from Ange. I have friends that have dogs that live around livestock. Her dogs killed a sheep and she then installed the shock collar fencing around her property so if the dogs tried to get out they soon learned it wasn't worth it.

What has your ranger given you in writing?

oceanaussi · Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:24 pm Post subject:

Hi there,

this sounds really weird to me. If you rehome them, they still could kill, so what's the point? I'm not saying, you should pts, but it doesn't really make sense to me to rehome them. I thought they would get classified as dangerous and you might have to keep them in a kennelrun or they might need to get muzzled or something like that.

Do you have the request to rehome or pts in writing? Does it specify anything particular? I would call your council and find out a few more things. Also, could you give them to somebody temporarily and get them back later?

BluesandBoots · Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:32 pm Post subject:

Just because a dog kills a sheep doesn't really make it a 'killer' or dangerous to people. Growing up, our bull terrier killed 2 sheep when we first moved to the farm. He got into major trouble and never did it again.

If I were you I would go talk to the owner of the sheep and offer to pay for each sheep injured or killed. Pay him the price of what the sheep was worth. They may allow you to keep your dogs in exchange for you setting up the electric collar system or keeping your dogs in an area they can't escape from.

sarahnmacey · Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:44 pm Post subject:

Unfortunatly the breeder has moved interstate somewhere.

when the ranger first came i wasnt home but she spoke to my partner who mentioned that she said putting them down. Apparnatly she has to do further investigation and then get back to me which I assume will be today. The farmer came around yesterday and he said that they have photos from a witness that lives behind his property and that the dogs had to go. TO be honest he wanted to shoot them there and then on his property which i am very lucky that he realised they were my dogs and didnt. Each sheep was worth $250 and 15 were found dead. That is alot of money and if we dont move them on Im afraid he will want the money. as well as the $10k fine from the Shire. As his property is behind ours and ours is 23 acres which the dogs can easily get out from I dont know how I can ever let them off a chain. I previously had the containment system with the dogs but they just ran through it.

I think if I can keep them all I can do is but them in a run and muzzle them which feels like i am prisoning them so they would prob be better re homed in a residential area, where they are no livestock around.

oceanaussi · Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:52 pm Post subject:

They killed 15 sheep? Shocked

How did they get out?

BluesandBoots · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 12:02 am Post subject:

So you'd pay 250 per sheep plus the 10,000? Are you sure about that? Would the owner of the sheep except the 250 for each one and still be happy to let you keep the dogs?

SparkyTansy · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 1:58 am Post subject:

I am guessing it was the owner who put the complaint into the council? however, it sounds as if it is the owner of the sheep who is dictating what he wants, which is for your dogs to go. It is very lucky that he didn't shoot the dogs on site.
ok, so you say you think you could contain them in a run of some kind, but it is cruel... after 6 years of free running on a large property what makes you think that your weim would be happy in a residential backyard?
It seems to me that you have had your weim for 6 years without problems... she has now possibly killed a few sheep and you have to rehome her, but it doesn't seem to me like you are really giving it your all to find out where you stand and what it is the COUNCIL wants... you need to find out specifics, where you stand etc. if the council deem your dogs as dangerous it is incredibily irresponsible for them to tell you to rehome... if they have warned you, i would imagine that it is that they are warning you to take action to keep your dogs contained, OR rehome them (if you can't contain them)
Seems to me as if you think perhaps rehoming is the easy way out, however if your weim does have issues, it really isn't fair to be passing these onto a new owner.

BluesandBoots · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 2:24 am Post subject:

Please let me know if your going to rehome her for sure and I can advertise her through my uni for a home that has had weimaraner's before or other dominant breeds. It's better then getting her put down.

I think it's sad that you have not socialized her properly as that is going to greatly affect her being rehomed. Is she desexed? [/code]

sarahnmacey · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 6:34 am Post subject:

Update:

I met with the ranger today and she advised me that I have one week to surrender the dogs or find them a suitable home. If I do not do either within in a week then we will have to go to court which means that if the dogs are found guilty I will cop a $10000 fine per animal killed for each dog. Containing them on the property wasnt even an option.

I must say it was killing her saying it as much as it was killing me hearing it. She said I was lucky that the farmer didnt shoot the dogs on the spot and that they werent taken away from me immediatly if that was what the farmer wanted.

Im not sure why they decided to go onto the next doors property. They have fencing but its not int he best state. Very easy for the dogs to get in if they wanted to. The farmer was doing some castrating or something which was quite bloody. Id say they got the scent of that and decided to go on the property.

If anyone knows of a good home for her please let me know. Obviously this has to be in a non rural area.

Thanks

BluesandBoots · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:23 am Post subject:

Do you have a foster home available? If you send me some photos of your girl or both of them I can email them to desperate pets. I also think you should contact the Weimaraner rescue in SA to see what they can do for you. They rehome wei's all over Australia. PM me for my email address.